Butcher’s beef over broken promises

BUTCHER Neil Mellor has sold his shop in Abbeyhills Road for new premises in Uppermill — blaming frustration with Oldham Council for the move.

The Bardsley man has spent £25,000 leaving his previous business base, from where he traded for 25 years, to take over a shop in New Street previously run by David Shenton, a Chadderton man who has retired after 15 years in the village.

Mr Mellor, who trained at Tesco and managed the meat department at its huge Prestwich store when he was only 22, moved swiftly to secure the premises.

He said: “I have sold the property in Abbeyhills Road and many of my customers still travel to see me, some from Stalybridge and many from Chadderton.

“I also have a delivery service every day and every Friday, on my way home, I deliver to more than 30 homes, so the switch has been OK so far.

“Mind you, the last 13 weeks have been hard work but I couldn’t stay in Abbeyhills Road.

“There was a marked decline after the closure of the Post Office and promises made by the council to regenerate the area never came to anything.

“It promised a lot, at several meetings, but aside from some parking bays nothing happened. To be honest, the council let me down, and other traders in that area, so a move to Uppermill, which is also a much busier trading area, has been good for me.”

Mr Mellor revealed that 50 per cent of his turnover is generated regardless of his location, with deliveries to organisations such as golf clubs and nursing homes.